Why do people still die in bushfires? Recent fires have triggered a debate about emergency warnings.

While firefighters battled widespread fires in New South Wales in October 2013, hundreds of thousands of people turned to social media and smartphone apps for vital updates.
AAP Image/Dan HimbrechtsNovember 10, 2015

When disaster strikes, more people than ever are turning to social media to find out if they're in danger. But Australian emergency services need to work together more to learn what works to save lives.

Children from a village in Papua New Guinea’s Western Highlands Province stand in one of countless sweet potato gardens destroyed by frost across the country, August 2015.
Kud SitangoAugust 26, 2015

You may think your social media friends are only good for keeping you up with all the latest gossip and trends but research published today has found they can also help save you in the event of any natural…

On November 22, the national police non-emergency 101 and the NHS 111 services suffered disruption as a result of a technical fault in the Vodafone national network. This meant that people wishing to report…

Emergencies can happen at the zoo. Staff train to be prepared.
Yuriko Nakao/ReutersNovember 17, 2014

You need only look at the papers or television news to see the reports. Infectious disease outbreaks, weather emergencies and disasters both natural and man-made. They’re all not just threats to human…

Can social media keep you safe from disasters?
Flickr/JimNovember 10, 2014

Given the popularity of Facebook and Twitter, it’s not surprising so many people use social media in crises such as floods, fires and earthquakes. Facebook has introduced Safety Check, a new tool for users…

What’s left of homes after bushfires swept through Warrandyte, in Victoria, in January.
AAP Image/Joe CastroMarch 3, 2014

When disaster strikes – such as January’s bushfire in Victoria or the recent cold spell that froze much of north America – it’s vital for emergency services to get the latest information. They need to…

Boots on the ground, but who’s talking into their earpieces?
Sean Dempsey/PAFebruary 20, 2014

Forecasters predict a wetter than normal start to March that will no doubt hamper efforts to bring an end to the misery of those whose homes are underwater. These extended floods and bad weather reveal…

When it comes to thinking about disease, rats are usually thought of as vermin that carry plague and pestilence. But what about rats being used to sniff out diseases such as tuberculosis in people’s saliva…